NILSEN said. “Sure you do. You’ve been outspoken about it. It’s your honestly held, reasonably argued opinion that there was a miscarriage of justice. That a man was found guilty of something he didn’t do. And behind that, you’ve said, there was subterfuge, suppressed evidence, political pressure, conspiracy …” “I’ve never used that word,” I said. “I’ve always been careful to avoid it.” “Nevertheless …” Nilsen answered, baring his teeth in the unlovely smile. He was echoing me from some distance back in the conversation, and we both caught the echo but only he smiled. “That’s what your theory of events amounts to, a conspiracy. In the absence of proof, that is.” “The absence of proof isn’t my responsibility,” I said. “Well, let’s not go there. Let’s, as you requested, get to the point. You think a whole lot of things happened. I’ll tell you what I think. Let me go through it, and you listen. You don’t have to agree with me. Just listen till I’m done.”
